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Tag Archives: community website

Not so long ago, online payments seemed like a strange, foreign thing that made people very nervous. Send my money online? How do I know it’ll really get there? How do I know I can trust the people with whom I have to share my financial info? Why can’t I just send a check? Nowadays, most people have gotten over their anxiety about online bill pay, and many HOAs have started accepting online payments. Continue reading →

These days the majority of households have a computer and Internet access in their homes. Is your HOA taking advantage of that? More and more communities are discovering just how much a properly built and maintained website can be an asset to both property managers, boards and residents, saving time and energy for both, and making interaction between the two that much quicker and easier. Continue reading →

Keeping the lawn green is a challenge that has vexed homeowners for generations. There have been countless hours spent sweating, fretting, and worrying about how to get a perfectly green lawn, and yet many still can’t seem to get it right. For everyone who has ever worried about how to keep their lawn healthy and thriving, we’ve put together some helpful tips to successfully (and cheaply) conquer the battle of the lawn. Continue reading →

Many communities are dealing with a shortage of parking spaces. Finding a solution to the issue of where to fit residents’ cars can be a huge headache, and when it’s not handled properly it can cause even bigger ones. What can an HOA do to accommodate homeowners’ needs and regulate offenses without opening themselves up to even more trouble? Continue reading →

How often, and under which circumstances, should homeowners be required to open their homes for routine maintenance? It can be a touchy subject. While an HOA will often have stipulations for allowing access to a home spelled out in its rules and bylaws, the issue of homeowner privacy is still one that is likely to come up. Where should the line between maintenance and privacy be drawn? Continue reading →

HOA boards can often wrestle with an executive session when it is appropriate to go into one. There are certainly times when it is appropriate for board members to meet in private to discuss sensitive matters that should not be disclosed at public board meetings. However, boards can easily lose the trust of their community, or even be violating the law, if they move too many matters out of the public eye.

When Is an Executive Session Appropriate?

The first thing to determine when considering moving into executive session is to know what the state’s law allows. Most states have some provision that allows for the board to meet and discuss matters privately under specific circumstances. However, some states (like Florida) completely disallow community matters being moved from public view, except in cases of attorney-client privilege. Continue reading →

Building a green community is a group effort, one that requires action and attention from everyone. What can be done to help make the community more sustainable? There are many things that can be done to make the neighborhood more environmentally friendly, but it’s important to know where to start. Here’s a how-to guide on making the community green, and how to encourage others to do the same.

The “Hero Handbook” starts with the simple reminder of the purpose and goal as a Board Member:

Improve communications

Facilitate your association’s business, effectively and efficiently

Reduce stress in managing your association

Let’s face it. You became a Board Member to make things better. You want to improve communications, maximize amenities, improve and/or add new services, reduce expenses, fix the parking problems, help sell vacant properties…and on and on and on! Your heart is in the right place for sure. Then REALITY STRIKES. You need help. The job is bigger than you. You quickly realize what most successful businesses have known for quite some time; technology must be your friend! You need to spearhead the charge to connect your community, to find a way to promote real-time communications with residents, to efficiently solve everyday community problems that never go away, to become a Board Member “Hero”.